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3D simulation as a productivity improvement tool

The popular saying says that experiments, better to do them with
soda. We can’t think of a more concise and simple description for the need to
use simulation tools in the industrial
environment.

Simulating in this context is equivalent to the possibility of testing and learning in a safe
environment that mimics as faithfully as possible to reality. Something that has been done for decades to
train airplane pilots, ship captains or astronauts.

Simulation in the industrial field is not a new concept
for large companies, which have been using mathematical models and algorithms
for a long time to simulate different processes within their value chain.

However, these tools were so far restricted to the
field of engineering, given their complexity and the need for deep technical
knowledge for their management and use, in addition to requiring
considerable computing power to handle large amounts of data.

On the other hand, 3D
software is also nothing new in the field of product design and product
manufacturing, since CAD applications have been used for decades, first in 2D
versions and later in 3D.

To put it in some way, the bricks to build the 3D
industrial simulation building were already available, but its high cost and
the complexity already mentioned restricted its use to very specific aspects
and sectors in the field of engineering, architecture and construction.
industrial design.

Industry
4.0 is, according to many experts, a new Industrial Revolution. Digitization already reaches any area of
​​the company and is no longer the heritage of large corporations, due to the
progressive lowering of its tools and applications. Today we have more
computing power and storage capacity in a laptop than we could have 20 years
ago in large servers.

If we have the ingredients and they are already
accessible to everyone, the time has come to get to work.

3D simulation: Optimization of resources and saving of costs and
times.

All studies on Industry 4.0 mention simulation, virtual reality and augmented
reality as part of the basic elements of the technological revolution involved
in Industry 4.0. The creation of a “digital twin” of
a company (or a building, or even a city) allows to study different scenarios
to identify, through the use of mathematical algorithms, the optimal scenario
to improve productivity while maintaining an adequate cost/benefit balance.
Let’s look at a practical example:

A company wants to implement robotic systems or
automations that allow it to improve its productive capacity. But where is it
profitable to locate robots in a production chain, and how many of them? How to
know in advance, when making an investment effort in robotization (and its
corresponding sensorization)if we are not going to fall short or, on the
contrary, we are overestimating our needs? That is where 3D simulation plays a
fundamental role, by allowing us to study different scenarios and accurately
calculate, known the dimensions of physical space, logistical capacity and many
other factors, what is the optimal point at which we will maximize the results
minimizing the investment.

But this is not the only
role of 3D simulation technology. A major problem that many companies face is
that, unless they are completely new factories or companies, there is often a
high degree of technological dispersion: various technologies living together
and producing data that, in many cases , are scattered in different places and
hinder analysis and overall vision, making this task unnecessarily complex and
making decision-making difficult or delaying.

NOA (Norlean Operations Analyzer) is a new tool that overlays a virtual reality layer on all this data, integrating them into a single interface that can not only be viewed on a screen but can also be “entered” through virtual reality glasses.

In addition, NOA not only
allows you to simulate machines. You can also simulate people, layout and
processes, presenting them not at a click, but a simple hand gesture. The user
no longer has to be a specialist to understand what is happening or access
specific data, as he can move and “walk” towards them. A totally
immersive experience that puts at the reach of any company a technology so far
heritage of large corporations. All data, even in real time with an adequate
sensor network, can be viewed in a way that is superimposed on that virtual
reality environment.

Creating an intuitive, immersive and manageable digital
twin for people without great technical knowledge is a revolution in
decision-making. 3D
simulation makes it possible and NOA is a real example that the future is
already here.

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